# 2008 Welsh Open (snooker)

The 2008 Welsh Open was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place between 11 and 17 February 2008 in the Newport Centre in Newport, Wales.
Neil Robertson was the defending champion, but he lost his last 16 match against Ali Carter. Mark Selby won his first ranking title by defeating Ronnie O'Sullivan 9–8, after coming back from 5–8 down.

## Notable happenings

* Tian Pengfei won the last 3 frames to oust one of the Welsh favourites, Matthew Stevens 5–4.
* David Roe led John Higgins 3–1 before losing 3–5.
* Mark Williams won the last 3 frames to beat Marco Fu 5–4.
* Ali Carter led Neil Robertson 4–0 but won only 5–3.
* Ronnie O'Sullivan won the high break prize with a 143 in the last frame of his 6–3 semi-final victory over Shaun Murphy, surpassing an effort of 134 from Marcus Campbell.
* Mark Selby had a highest break of 77 in the final compared to O'Sullivan's 135.

## Prize fund

The breakdown of prize money for this year is shown below:

## Main draw
### Top half

| Last 48 Best of 9 frames | Last 48 Best of 9 frames | Last 48 Best of 9 frames | Last 32 Best of 9 frames | Last 32 Best of 9 frames | Last 32 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames | Semi-Finals Best of 11 frames | Semi-Finals Best of 11 frames | Semi-Finals Best of 11 frames |
| | | | 1 | Neil Robertson | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| 22 | Jamie Cope | 5 | 22 | Jamie Cope | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| 61 | Jimmy Michie | 4 | | | | 1 | Neil Robertson | 3 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 14 | Ali Carter | 5 | | | | | | |
| | | | 14 | Ali Carter | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| 20 | Matthew Stevens | 4 | 69 | Tian Pengfei | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| 69 | Tian Pengfei | 5 | | | | | | | 14 | Ali Carter | 4 | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | 6 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 5 | | | |
| | | | 15 | Steve Davis | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| 21 | Mark King | 5 | 21 | Mark King | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| 42 | Andrew Norman | 1 | | | | 15 | Steve Davis | 3 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 6 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 5 | | | | | | |
| | | | 6 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| 17 | Joe Swail | 2 | 51 | Judd Trump | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| 51 | Judd Trump | 5 | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Shaun Murphy | 3 |
| | | | 7 | Peter Ebdon | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| 18 | Joe Perry | 5 | 18 | Joe Perry | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| 39 | John Parrott | 2 | | | | 18 | Joe Perry | 5 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 23 | Stuart Bingham | 2 | | | | | | |
| | | | 10 | Stephen Maguire | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| 23 | Stuart Bingham | 5 | 23 | Stuart Bingham | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Matthew Selt | 2 | | | | | | | 18 | Joe Perry | 0 | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | 4 | Shaun Murphy | 5 | | | |
| | | | 12 | Mark Williams | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| 27 | Marco Fu | 5 | 27 | Marco Fu | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| 40 | Adrian Gunnell | 3 | | | | 12 | Mark Williams | 2 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 4 | Shaun Murphy | 5 | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | Shaun Murphy | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| 28 | Ian McCulloch | 5 | 28 | Ian McCulloch | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| 57 | Drew Henry | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Bottom half

| Last 48 Best of 9 frames | Last 48 Best of 9 frames | Last 48 Best of 9 frames | Last 32 Best of 9 frames | Last 32 Best of 9 frames | Last 32 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames | Semi-Finals Best of 11 frames | Semi-Finals Best of 11 frames | Semi-Finals Best of 11 frames |
| | | | 3 | Graeme Dott | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| 25 | Nigel Bond | 4 | 34 | Michael Judge | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| 34 | Michael Judge | 5 | | | | 34 | Michael Judge | 2 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 13 | Stephen Lee | 5 | | | | | | |
| | | | 13 | Stephen Lee | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| 26 | Anthony Hamilton | 2 | 44 | Andrew Higginson | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| 44 | Andrew Higginson | 5 | | | | | | | 13 | Stephen Lee | 2 | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | 8 | Stephen Hendry | 5 | | | |
| | | | 16 | Ryan Day | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| 29 | Mark Allen | 5 | 29 | Mark Allen | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| 45 | David Gilbert | 4 | | | | 16 | Ryan Day | 4 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 8 | Stephen Hendry | 5 | | | | | | |
| | | | 8 | Stephen Hendry | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| 24 | Michael Holt | 5 | 24 | Michael Holt | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| 58 | Joe Delaney | 4 | | | | | | | | | | 8 | Stephen Hendry | 4 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 11 | Mark Selby | 6 |
| | | | 5 | Ken Doherty | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| 31 | Dominic Dale | 2 | 38 | Alan McManus | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| 38 | Alan McManus | 5 | | | | 5 | Ken Doherty | 2 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 11 | Mark Selby | 5 | | | | | | |
| | | | 11 | Mark Selby | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| 30 | Dave Harold | 5 | 30 | Dave Harold | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| 49 | Rod Lawler | 4 | | | | | | | 11 | Mark Selby | 5 | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | 2 | John Higgins | 2 | | | |
| | | | 9 | Ding Junhui | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| 32 | Gerard Greene | 3 | 52 | Marcus Campbell | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| 52 | Marcus Campbell | 5 | | | | 9 | Ding Junhui | 1 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2 | John Higgins | 5 | | | | | | |
| | | | 2 | John Higgins | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| 19 | Barry Hawkins | 2 | 55 | David Roe | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| 55 | David Roe | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Final

Final: Best of 17 frames. Referee: Eirian Williams. Newport Centre, Newport, Wales, 17 February 2008. :
| Ronnie O'Sullivan (6) England | 8–9 | Mark Selby (11) England |
| Afternoon: 6–90 (77), 50–60, 69–5 (50), 72–44, 23–56 (51), 62–35, 0–139 (70, 65), 130–0 (108) Evening: 97–0 (93), 135–6 (135), 22–72 (72), 87–35 (63), 69–1 (54), 0–89, 28–86 (62), 53–67 (O'Sullivan 53), 37–72 |||
| 135 | Highest break | 77 |
| 2 | Century breaks | 0 |
| 7 | 50+ breaks | 6 |

## Qualifying

Qualifying for the tournament took place at Pontin's in Prestatyn, Wales between 26 January and 28 January 2008.
| Round 1 Best of 9 frames | Round 1 Best of 9 frames | Round 1 Best of 9 frames | Round 2 Best of 9 frames | Round 2 Best of 9 frames | Round 2 Best of 9 frames | Round 3 Best of 9 frames | Round 3 Best of 9 frames | Round 3 Best of 9 frames |
| Joe Jogia | Joe Jogia | 3 | Jimmy Michie | Jimmy Michie | 5 | Robert Milkins | Robert Milkins | 2 |
| Alfie Burden | Alfie Burden | 5 | Alfie Burden | Alfie Burden | 2 | Jimmy Michie | Jimmy Michie | 5 |
| Tian Pengfei | Tian Pengfei | 5 | Scott MacKenzie | Scott MacKenzie | 4 | Rory McLeod | Rory McLeod | 3 |
| Steve Mifsud | Steve Mifsud | 3 | Tian Pengfei | Tian Pengfei | 5 | Tian Pengfei | Tian Pengfei | 5 |
| Liang Wenbo | Liang Wenbo | 5 | Paul Davies | Paul Davies | 1 | Andrew Norman | Andrew Norman | 5 |
| Ashley Wright | Ashley Wright | 2 | Liang Wenbo | Liang Wenbo | 5 | Liang Wenbo | Liang Wenbo | 2 |
| Lee Walker | Lee Walker | 2 | Judd Trump | Judd Trump | 5 | Andy Hicks | Andy Hicks | 2 |
| Martin Gould | Martin Gould | 5 | Martin Gould | Martin Gould | 1 | Judd Trump | Judd Trump | 5 |
| David Morris | David Morris | 5 | Mike Dunn | Mike Dunn | 5 | John Parrott | John Parrott | 5 |
| Gareth Coppack | Gareth Coppack | 1 | David Morris | David Morris | 2 | Mike Dunn | Mike Dunn | 4 |
| Matthew Selt | Matthew Selt | 5 | Barry Pinches | Barry Pinches | 1 | Mark Davis | Mark Davis | 3 |
| Ben Woollaston | Ben Woollaston | 1 | Matthew Selt | Matthew Selt | 5 | Matthew Selt | Matthew Selt | 5 |
| Liu Song | Liu Song | 5 | Tom Ford | Tom Ford | 5 | Adrian Gunnell | Adrian Gunnell | 5 |
| Xiao Guodong | Xiao Guodong | 2 | Liu Song | Liu Song | 1 | Tom Ford | Tom Ford | 2 |
| Leo Fernandez | Leo Fernandez | 5 | Drew Henry | Drew Henry | 5 | Fergal O'Brien | Fergal O'Brien | 4 |
| Fraser Patrick | Fraser Patrick | 2 | Leo Fernandez | Leo Fernandez | 4 | Drew Henry | Drew Henry | 5 |
| Munraj Pal | Munraj Pal | 3 | Stuart Pettman | Stuart Pettman | 5 | Michael Judge | Michael Judge | 5 |
| Patrick Wallace | Patrick Wallace | 5 | Patrick Wallace | Patrick Wallace | 2 | Stuart Pettman | Stuart Pettman | 2 |
| James McBain | James McBain | 3 | Jimmy White | Jimmy White | 5 | Andrew Higginson | Andrew Higginson | 5 |
| Rodney Goggins | Rodney Goggins | 5 | Rodney Goggins | Rodney Goggins | 1 | Jimmy White | Jimmy White | 2 |
| Kurt Maflin | Kurt Maflin | 5 | Ian Preece | Ian Preece | 5 | David Gilbert | David Gilbert | 5 |
| I Kachaiwong | I Kachaiwong | 4 | Kurt Maflin | Kurt Maflin | 1 | Ian Preece | Ian Preece | 1 |
| Tony Drago | Tony Drago | 5 | Joe Delaney | Joe Delaney | 5 | Jamie Burnett | Jamie Burnett | 2 |
| Kevin Van Hove | Kevin Van Hove | 1 | Tony Drago | Tony Drago | 4 | Joe Delaney | Joe Delaney | 5 |
| Mark Joyce | Mark Joyce | 5 | Robin Hull | Robin Hull | w/d | Alan McManus | Alan McManus | 5 |
| Jimmy Robertson | Jimmy Robertson | 4 | Mark Joyce | Mark Joyce | w/o | Mark Joyce | Mark Joyce | 1 |
| Jamie O'Neill | Jamie O'Neill | 5 | Rod Lawler | Rod Lawler | 5 | James Wattana | James Wattana | 2 |
| Liu Chuang | Liu Chuang | 2 | Jamie O'Neill | Jamie O'Neill | 4 | Rod Lawler | Rod Lawler | 5 |
| Lee Spick | Lee Spick | 5 | Marcus Campbell | Marcus Campbell | 5 | Ricky Walden | Ricky Walden | 4 |
| Supoj Saenla | Supoj Saenla | 1 | Lee Spick | Lee Spick | 4 | Marcus Campbell | Marcus Campbell | 5 |
| Alex Davies | Alex Davies | 5 | David Roe | David Roe | 5 | David Gray | David Gray | 1 |
| Michael White | Michael White | 4 | Alex Davies | Alex Davies | 0 | David Roe | David Roe | 5 |